


The Safe Zone

by pixieslovewords



Category: Elementary (TV)
Genre: Cancer Arc, Domestic Fluff, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:22:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25523560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixieslovewords/pseuds/pixieslovewords
Summary: Sherlock convinces Joan to play The Floor is Lava, while Arthur watches TV.
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/Joan Watson (Elementary)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 50





	The Safe Zone

**Author's Note:**

> My therapist often says that it`s good to have a positive distraction when you`re going through something. It helps to refocus your energy and can bring friends (or lovers) closer together. I have a Japanese keyboard so my apostrophes and quotation marks look a bit odd. I wrote a similar fic years ago on a now defunct account where Sherlock and Joan buy a trampoline. This fic is slightly reminiscent of that one. Unbetaed; I haven`t written anything since 2018 for various reasons.

`Mommy! Mommy!` 

Joan`s eyes popped open. 

It had been another rough night of falling asleep beside the toilet and she couldn`t quite remember climbing into bed last night. She knew she didn`t put herself there though: she still had her bra on. 

`What is it?` she called, getting out of bed slowly, steading herself on the hardwood floor by holding on to the edge of the bed. She stood up after a long pause. 

`Uncle Sherlock wants you.`

Joan popped her head into Sherlock`s room and found her son with eyes glued to the TV and his half-eaten breakfast in his lap. 

`I`m sorry. I slept in late.`

`It`s okay!` Arthur said lightly. `These pancakes are yummy!` 

Joan nodded. She pulled her heavy body off the door frame and made her way downstairs. 

She took each step down the staircase with a heavy thud, wiping the sleep out of her eyes. 

`No! Don`t step there!` 

Joan`s head snapped up. She pulled her foot from the hardwood of the first floor, resting it on the first step. She found Sherlock standing a few feet away from her, on top of a pile of old coats. 

`What? Why?` 

`Because!` Sherlock said urgently, gesturing to all of the items seemingly strewn across the hardwood floor. `The floor is lava!`

Joan squeezed her eyes shut tightly and crossed her arms over her chest. `I haven`t had a coffee yet, if I can even drink one today, so I don`t have the energy to understand what you`re talking about.`

Sherlock stepped across over the narrow pieces of cardboard, over to Joan, grabbed her by the hand, and pulled her towards the safe zone. Joan opened her eyes while her body was in motion. She let Sherlock pull her to the right position. 

`Didn`t you ever play this game as a child? This --` he gestured to all of the coats around them. `This is the safe zone. You can stand here, but everywhere else, you have to keep moving and you can`t touch the floor. You`ll burn. Because --`

`Because the floor is lava. Yes, I played this game as a child,` Joan emphasized the last three words. She pinched the bridge of her nose as she took in the mess that lay before her feet. `Why are you playing it now?`

`It`ll help me solve crime,` Sherlock responded matter-of-factly. `And now that you`re finally awake, it`ll help us both!` 

Joan squinted at him as he pranced over the line of cardboard and down the line of couch cushions. 

`You couldn`t have just let me sleep?` 

`Are you angry?`

She used up what little energy she had left to storm across the pile of coats, over the narrow cardboard, to the oversized couch cushions. Sherlock stood on one of the biggest cushions they owned. She wobbled on the cushions. 

`Besides, these couch cushions are a nightmare!` She stomped in one place over the cushions, trying to find her balance. `They`re too thick and it`s hard to stand --`

`No, Joan! Don`t touch the floor!` 

Sherlock hopped over. He reached out and grabbed her by the hand, pulling her back onto the line of cushions. He wrapped his arm around her slender waist for fear that she may fall. 

She steadied herself on the cushions, but he didn`t let go. 

He bent his head slightly and pressed his lips to the crown of her head. He pulled back and pressed his forehead to hers. `I know you`re unwell. I tried to make you as comfortable as I could last night. Why didn`t you call me for help? I would have helped you.`

`I didn`t want to worry you,` she murmured, relaxing into his body. 

His hands over her hips tightened, although not painfully. `Joan,` he chided softly. `I`m always worried about you.` He paused and then said: `I`m sorry I didn`t undress you completely --`

`No, it`s fine. Is this really going to help you solve crime?`

Sherlock relaxed his hands and pulled her into his chest. `No… I made this for you.`

`For me?` She asked, happy to put her weight on someone else for a change. 

`I was hoping to take your mind off of things… a little bit… with a game, of sorts.` 

Joan settled into Sherlocks arms and he held her comfortably, resting his chin on the top of her head. 

`It did. For a few minutes, anyway. Thank you.` 

`I`m glad to hear it. Where`s Arthur?` 

`Upstairs, watching Paw Patrol. I checked before I came down.` 

`Well then, let`s invite him to play, shall we?`

They pulled apart and he took her hand and led her over the line of thing cardboard and down the line of couch cushions to a pile of old coats at the staircase landing to the safe zone and called Arthur downstairs.


End file.
